New York, May 28: The month-long conference to strengthen the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) has collapsed in face of irreconcilable differences with its Chairman admitting that "very little has been accomplished."
Non-governmental organisations (NGOs), pushing for greater control over nuclear materials, and diplomats expressed disappointment and fears that the US might try to create regimes outside the treaty to control proliferation.
Regretting the failure, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan warned that their inability to strengthen the collective effort is about to weaken the Treaty and the broader NPT-based regime.
When asked about the reasons for the failure, conference chairman Sergio Duarte of Brazil said yesterday, "I think you can write several books on that." Months before the meet, it was clear that the chances of finding a meeting ground are very slim.
The non-nuclear states wanted the nuclear weapon states to pledge to eliminate their nuclear weapons but the US rejected the demand and blocked every move towards that end, saying circumstances have changed. But it did point to the reduction in nuclear warheads that it, along with Russia, had undertaken.
Washington, instead, wanted to make suspected Iranian nuclear weapon programme and North Korea's withdrawal from the treaty as the focus. But non-nuclear weapons states were concerned about reports that the US is refining its warheads and planning nuclear bunker weapons.
Bureau Report
